Four-cycle internal-combustion engine



June 9, 1925. 1,541,069

I d G. H. PETERS FOUR `CYCLE INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE Filed Jan. 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l 36 159.! f1 7,26 25 24 y 25' /8 June 9, 1925.

. 1,541,069 G. H. PETERS FOUR CYCLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE l y Filed Jan'le4 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2' @4 f5 ffy-6 27 1W 4.5 l 45 ar Patented June 9, 1925.

Unirse STATSEs GALEN H.'PETERS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Application filed January 16, 1923. Serial No. 612,939. Y

To all ifi/lima t may 00u-cern.' p

Be it known that I, GALEN I-I. Pn'riins, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented lnew and useful Improvements in Four-Cycle Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification. p

An object of this invention is torincrease the power of four stroke cycleintei'nal combustion engines. A.

Heretoforethe valve controlling mechanism of four cycle engines have depended upon the operation ofV a spring for return movement of the valve after the valve has been operated by a cani.

An object of this invention is to improve the operation of four stroke cycle one-topne movement for internal combustion engines.

This invention involves novel means for the operation of the supply and exhaust pop- 'pet valves of four cycle Vinternal combustion engines and broadly includesan engine vin which such valves are operated positively Y in both directions by cams having one-to-one movement with respect to the crankshaft.

lleietofore the inlet and exhaust poppet valves of internal-combustion engines of the sii-called four cycle type have bein operated by mechanism that gives a slow opening and closing of such valves respectively; and I have discovered that a notable economy and e'licicncy over lsuch engines may be secured by operating the valves positively in both opening and closing inovem'nts directly through a cam shaft and one-to-one gearing between the crank shaft and said cam shaft.

The invention involves novel means for opening and closing the exhaust and, inlet valves, and such means may be of various forms of construction in which a cam shaft is timed to synchronous revolutions with the crank shaft and the cams are directly connected by suitable tappets to positively operate the valves in appropriate alternau tion.

rlhis invention may be applied with the cam shaft arranged either above or below the cylinder, but it will be sufhcient fora proper understanding of the invention to illustrate it in the form in Vwhich an overhead @ein shaft is used,

- may be by increasing the speed with which the inlet and exhaust valves are opened and closed and also .increasing the `period of the full opening of the valves. V

By this invention I am able to increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine. v

The invention may be applied by cams in the crank case or above the crank case, desired. Suitable connecting mechanisms being provided between the cams and the Vvalves to open and close the valves It is sufficient for the present application to show a form in which the cam shaft is `mounted above the cylinder and the invention will `be thus shown in the drawings. Y

The invention comprises the combination with a cam having ya grooved cylindrical portion, of anv eccentric ring on said cam, said Aeccentric Yring being provided with a slotted rider and with a follower ;V said follower adapted'to run in the grooves of the cam, and said rider adapted to ride upon the grooved Acylindrical portion of the cam eol throughout the major portion oftwo revolutions of the cam, said cam4 being provided with a wiper adapted to act upon said follower to open the valve during a minor portion of one revolution of the cam and said rider being accommodated in the groove of Y said cam throughouta major portion of two revolutions of the cam.

This invention includes an improvement on the invention described and claimed in my forfeited application Serial No. 260,072,

filed October 28, 1918, and allowed March 29,l

Figure l is a fragmental View of an in` ternal combustion engine provided with this.

invention; fragments ofthe mechanical con- The follower 19 pivoted on the pin 2OV fixed to the eccentric ring, is adapted to be i guided by the cusp m, from the follower way 216 to the follower way extension 31, and from the follower wayextension 82 to the cusp o?, and by suchte the follower way 26 as the cam is revolved. Said eccentric rings are slotted as at 36 to accommodate the limb when the wiper acts upon the inner face of the follower, thus to move the eccentric ringin one direction to force the follower away from the axis of the cam, as'

the cam revolves in the direction indicated by the large arrows in the several views.

The shifting` connection between the eccentric ring and the valve stem 37 is in the form of a slide 38 held in a guide 39 by overhangs 40; and the guides 39, 39" are mounted in their guideways 41, 41 to reciprocate from and toward the aXis of the cam shaft for the purpose of opening and closing the valves 5, 6 in alternation.

Referring to valve 5 in Fig. 1, the eccentric strap 18 with its rider 23, follower 19` and pin 20 go to make up the tappet op-l erated by the cam to open andlclose the valve 5; and the strap 18 with itsrrider 23, :follower 19 and pin 20 go to make up the tappet to operate the valve 6.

The yielding' connection between the valve stem 87 and the guide 39 is shown as being made by a cage 42 anda spring 43 therein acting` on the retainer 44 which is shownl as a pin inserted through said stem; and said spring'v is adapted to yieldingly hold the valve in closed position as indicated at the valve seat 45 in Figs. 4, 5,' 6, 7 aud 8, when 'the rider is supported by the outer periphery of the cam.

T he eccentric ring 18 has a non-circular cam receiving orifice 46 which is constructed toward effectingthe desired operation of the valve. ln the form shown the bottom circular segment 47 of the inner surface of said eccentric ringextending below andbetween the points 48, 48 is somewhat less than 181 0: the side sectors 49, 49', are' equal to cach other and extend upward respectively from the points 48, 48 to the` points 50, 50 from which the coequal arcs 51, 51 extend respective-lv to the ends of the chord 52 of the topsolid segment or rider 2?), which is spaced from the inner face 58 of the follower 19, a distance corresponding to the diameter of the grooved cylindrical limb or body of the cam so that when the rider of the eccentric ring is shifted to said grooved cylindrical body as in Figs. 5 and 6, the valve is closed andremains closed for one full. revolution during which the eccentric ring; is stationary without any lateral or radial shifting.

'lhen the tooth or cusp m and switch point 29, cooperate with the follower toV shift the eccentric ring to the wiper limb of the cam. y i

' The wiper limb of the cam is made up of four surfaces, be cl, l e, e f g, and g o.,

The surface c CZ is drawn to the radius of the minor cylindrical portion 21 of the cam. The'surface e f g is drawn to a radius equal to the radius of said cylindrical portion 21 plus the lift of the valve. The surfaces (Z e and g ZJ are drawn tangent to the faces Y) c CZ and q e. f of the minor cylindrical portions and body ofthe cam. i

.By this construction of the cam the opposite faces Z) c CZ, c f g of the wiper limb of the cani are d rawn to a common center a with radii of different lengths; so that when these faces are in operative contact with the tappet formed by the eccentric ring and the follower, the valve is held stationary in the position given to it by the facesd c and g b respectively. That is to say, the face d e acting; upon the follower opens the valve, and when the valve is fully open at the point e, it is thereafter so held open by the face e g until the point 'g is reached. Then the face g ZJ permits the .follower to receder for the closing of the "valveuntil the face a is reached; whereupon thel valve remains E closed during the remaining` portion of the revolution of the cam and during the period when the ring is shifted to the cylindrical limb of the cam, where the ring is held in i the closed valve position until it is shifted back to the wiper limb of the `cam and the face (l e again becomes active to open the valve. The complete cycle of the eccentric strap is thus effected by two complete revolutions of the cam and the engine crank shaft, during' which cycle about 60 isused n' in moving the valve from fully closed to fully open position, 12()O is used for holding` the valve in its fully open position, 60 is used in moving' the valve from open position to fully closed position, and about 489 is lll() llO used in holding' the valve completely closed. "Y

Itis thus seen that for each valve shown there are means such as a tappet operably Aconnected to the valve; and means such as the various parts of the solid cam operably Vconnected to the engine and adapted to operate and hold the engine valve open during a limited portion of one re\f*olution of the engine shaft; and to hold the valve closed during' over a full revolution. of such shaft.

In each mechanism there is a cam having a wiper, and means such as a tappet oper-- able by the cam and connected to operate the valve; and means, such as the shifting: devicesl consisting of the way and switch vand switch points, whereby a relative shifting of the cam and the parts operable thereby, as the tappet, is at one revolution brought into positionto be operated by the wiper limb of the cam; so that the wiper limb'of the cani-is Voperable within the period of'one full revolution of. the.y caml pet is positioned to hold the valve stationary during afull revolution of the cam. By

this means the valve is held closed for a' full period of more than one. revolution of theci'ank shaft which is equivalent to more than two strokes of the engine.

It is understood that the eccentric ringv shown is the preferred form of embodiment but I do not limit the invention specifically to the specific form shown;

It is understood that various partsinay be variously constructed withinthe judgment of the manufacturer' for facilitating ythe assembling of the parts and such changes as may be deemed advisable as mechanical expedients 4for that purpose may be made' at pleasure by the constructor.

Different forms of solid cams with theirv respective tappets and other parts, may also be used interchangeably with each other-by making changes that are within the skill of a mechanic.

Particular attention is directed' to th advantages obtained by providing an engine with means whereby there isgiven a longer period of time during which thel inlet valve is opened to its fullestv capacity. The result of this improvement is an increased volume of gas consumed at each' explosion; and attention is further directed to the combination in the engine of inlet and exhaust valves, both operating upon this: same principle so that maximum dischargemay take.

place in the quickest possible manner.V

The wiper limb 22 extends on both sides of the limb 25 of the grooved cylindrical body so that when the slotted eccentric ring is fully shifted to the right as in Fig. 9, and

the slot of said ring accoinmodatesthe limb 25, the rider rides on `the wiper portion on both sides of the cylindrical limb 25; thus to give aneven support to the rider while the same is moving the ring rfrom closedV to open and from open `to closed position according to whether the wiper is acting :on the follower orthe rider.

I claim. y q

l. The combinationwith a four stroke internal combustion engine cylindeig'piston,

connecting rod and crank shaft, and intake i' and exhaust valves for said cylinder; of cams connected to the crank shaft lfor syn-4 chronous revolution therewith'fat the rate of one to one Vwith said-crank shaft; eccentric rings `operably coiinected'to thel cams and said valves respectively; said cams'being iseigoes:

arranged to revolve on an axis for successivel but like operation-of said eccentric straps and eachy comprisingconcentric minor and major cylindrical portions to hold the eccen-.

tains; and means for shifting the eccentric ring to and from the wiper.

2. In an internal combustion engine the combination with the valves and the cam shaft of the engine; of 'cams on said shaft; eccentric ring shiftable f along said cams respectively; means connecting said eccentric ringsfto their respective valves; said cams 'being arranged for successive operation of the rings and'respectively comprisinga cylindrical `portionto hold the valve in closed position, a wiper limb having a face drawn to the axis of the cylindrical portion and to a radius equalin length to the-radius of the cylindrical portion plus thelift of the valve.; and means for shifting the eccentric rings to and from their wipers, respectively.

3. In an engine a valve; an eccentric ring operably connected to said valve; a cam comprisinga wiper having a major cylindrical face and a minor cylindrical face, and inclined valve opening and closing faces between .said major and minor cylindrical faces; said major `cylindrical face being adapted and arranged to allow the eccentric ring to hold -the' valveiii closed position;

said minor cylindrical face drawn to the radius and axis of said major cylindrical face, and said major cylindrical face drawn to the axis of said minor cylindrical face and to ak radius equal in length to the radius of lthe minor cylindrical face plus the lift of the valve; and means for shifting the eccentric-link to and from'the wiper.

4. -In ani engine a valve; an eccentric ring loperably `connected to said valve; a cam comprising a wiper having a major cylindrical face and a minor cylindrical face, and inclined valve opening and closing faces between said majoi' and minor cylindrical faces, said 'major cylindrical face being adapted and arranged to allow the eccentric ring to hold the valve in'closed position; said minor cylindrical face drawn to the 4rad-ius and laxis of said major cylindrical face,and said major cylindrical face drawn to ther-axis' of said minor cylindrical face and to a radius equal in Vlengthr to the iadius -offtheminor cylindrical face plus the lift Vof 'theyvalvei and means for shifting the eccentric 'link ,to and -from the wiper, said major cylindi ical face forn'iing an arc havving-a chord equal tothe diameter of said wiper, and said valve opening and closing faces being 'tangent to said faces that are drawn to the radii of the cylindrical por-`1 tions, said tangent faces being drawn to a radius equal in length to said chord.

5. The combination with a vpoppet valve, of a guide connected to said poppet valve and provided with a slideway; a slide shittable along said slidewayand adapted to operate the guide to move the poppet valve to and from closed position; an eccentric strap connected to the slide and provided with a rider and a follower spaced apart; and a cam provided with a cylindrical rider-support and a wiper, and being adapted to hold the rider in valve closed position throughout the major portion of two revolutions of the cam shaft, and being grooved to accommodate the itollower, and to guide the same for the purpose ot' shitting the eccentric strap along the cylindrical eccentric strap supporting portion ot the cam, and for the purpose oi accommodating the eccentric strap when the wiper acts upon the follower.

6. rlhe combination with a cam having a peripherally grooved cylindrical portion7 of Y an eccentric strap on Said cam, said strap being provided with a slotted rider and with 'the groove of said cam throughout a major portion of two revolutions of the cam.

7. Valve operating mechanisml substantially set forth comprising a cam, having a cylindrical limb and a wiper; an eccentric strap mounted on said cam and adapted to be carried bysaid limbv to hold the valve closed, and to be reciprocated by said wiper to open the valve; said eccentric strap being slotted to accommodate saidlimb when the wiper moves the eccentric strap to open the valve. Y Y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 5th day of January, 1923.

v GALEN H. PETERS.

Witness: Y

JAMES R. TowNsEND. 

